Legacy
by Aeguptos
Summary: Turkey x Australia, a historically based fanfiction on the relations of the two nations.
1. Chapter 1

One year. It had only been one year since the Gallipoli campaign ended. It had only been one year since the Ottoman Empire had begun to fall apart, and yet it had been that one year that united the peoples within the Empire. It was so near one could almost reach back in time, and yet it was unreachable. The endless and merciless march of time had erased all possibility of going back. The Ottoman Empire was no more and no amount of wishing or pleading could ever bring it back.

Sadiq stood on the high, rocky cliffs overlooking the shores of Gallipoli. Though the deep scars in the land had since healed, everywhere Sadiq looked he saw trenches and piles of the dead. No matter how beautiful Gallipoli was, he could never break the association from his mind. This land had been and forever would be a battlefield. Memories as vivid as the day they were made flooded his mind. He could see the lines of Australian soldiers charging the Turkish trenches, and he could see waves of Aussie soldiers falling dead upon the sandy ground. He had tried to think of other things. He tried to remember this place as it was when he was growing up and when he had established his Empire. He shut his eyes tight and willed himself to forget the atrocities of war, but no matter how he tried he would and could never forget the days of Gallipoli.  
>Then and only then did he hear Adam standing beside him.<p>

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;  
>Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.<br>At the going down of the sun and in the morning  
>We will remember them."<p>

The words made his heart break. With a tear in his eye the Turk answered.

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives. You are now living in the soil of a friendly country therefore rest in peace.  
>There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours.<br>You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.  
>After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."<p>

Together they stood, one arm about the other, remembering the horrific battles they had fought upon the shores of Gallipoli.

-  
>This is the first chapter of my TurkAussie fanfiction 3<p>

I hope you love it as I do.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a strange day on which to be reunited. Assuredly there were tensions on both sides, but which emotions were sealed tightly beneath the stoic glances and grim expressions? There was no way to know, no key with which to decipher their shared glances and strained silences. There was equal camaraderie and bitterness, relief and pain.

It was late in the afternoon before either one of the nations would speak to the other. At first it was very strained and awkward as if they expected the battle to continue right before their eyes. There was a slight undercurrent of sadness within the Turk's flowing speech and one of resentment in the Aussie's. This was duly noted by both nations though it did not hinder the progression of the conversation. It was a small spark of a comment from the Aussie that broke the first smile on the Turk's face. As they teased and talked, discussed and argued, they became more and more at ease with each other's presence. For a while they took up a mutual stream of complaints against the once-glorious British Empire, and this eventually had them both chuckling lightly.

Inevitably, the conversation turned serious and the pleading questions and vengeful jabs at one another flowed freely. It was apparent that they would not begin again the conflict which had caused them so much pain, but there were emotional wounds which had not completely healed. These wounds offered difficult questions and demanded truthful answers in return. The truth was freely surrendered without malice or hesitation. After hours of conversation, tears dampened the eyes of both the Aussie and the Turk. The sadness in the other nation's eyes compelled the Turk to hold the Aussie gently as he had done many times during the course of the awful battle.


End file.
